Police seeking Football Banning Order against Coleraine supporter

Published:11:00Tuesday 26 January 2016

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Police are seeking to take out a Football Banning Order against a Coleraine man accused of being disorderly on Boxing Day in the town when the local Irish League football team played derby rivals Ballymena United, a court has been told.

Stephen Boyd (32), of Lisnablagh Road, is accused of being disorderly at Ballycastle Road, Coleraine, where the match, which Coleraine won 2-1, was being played at the Coleraine Showgrounds.

He is also accused of assaulting a constable and damaging a PSNI landrover during the incident.

Boyd confirmed to Coleraine Magistrates Court last Monday that he understood the charges.

A police officer stold the short hearing that she believed she could connect him to the charges.

A prosecutor said police are seeking a Football Banning Order against Boyd.

District Judge Liam McNally said he had recently dealt with a football related case in Belfast involving a man performing the ‘Birdie Song’ at a football match.

Boyd has yet to plead guilty or not guilty but his defence solicitor Denise Gillan confirmed it was a case which will be unlikely to trouble the court.

The prosecutor asked for the case to be adjourned to February saying the case surrounded the Boxing Day game between Coleraine and Ballymena.

Ms Gillan also represented student Christopher Mahood (23), of Somerset Crescent, Coleraine, and said her client’s case also involved the same football match.

He is charged with being disorderly at Tullyarton Road in the Harpur’s Hill estate which is a short distance from the Coleraine Showgrounds.

The police officer also told the court thatshe believed she could connect him to the charges.

Ms Gillan said the accused will be pleading not guilty when the case comes back to court in February.